What do you want out of your rig?

Disk Brakes.

Air pressure monitoring system with auto inflate to keep tires at the correct pressure.

Temperature sensors on wheel ends to detect overheating of brakes and internal break down of wheel bearings.

Exterior temp readout display on the dash.

Integrated truck Gps in dash.

Lane departure and blind spot sensors that detect objects and vehicles in blind spots.

Onboard truck scale that gives accurate reading of axle weights.

Mandatory air bags in all commerical vehicles including side curtains.

Built in satellite bundle that permits communication to dispatch, home, as well as satellite radio, wi-fi, and television.

Integrated APU with shore power option. Heating, Cooling, and electricity.

Truck wired with several 110 household outlets.

Premium seats with lumbar support.

Top of the line mattresses and bunk restraints to keep co-drivers safe.

Room for a dorm sized refrigerator and Microwave.

Enough storage space for a couple weeks of clothes, foul weather gear, and emergency food and water supplies.

 

Psst.... disc brakes have been out for years on class 8. Work great ! no fade ever, always perfect EXCEPT......

1 Brutal cap cost to equip. tractor at build......
2 High cost to repair / maintain.
3 Difficulty locating parts / not readily available
4 Heavier than drum setup...... ( yes it is, I didn't believe that either but it is )

Had them on the co. Volvos, loved them ! Were phased out because of cost.

 

What I want is a truck that looks good (kiss my ### Aero lovers) is easy to work on (make the engineer designing it change every clamp/hose and fix every airline before releasing it) less computer interference. Shouldn't be a problem if one gauge quits working. A normal Turbo (this vgt hitting and puffing making weird nooses etc doesn't make me happy) a sleeper just big enough to sleep in in an emergency (tired of weeks on the road I want to go home) 4 way lockers, 244 wheel base so i can still control it when it slides sideways. KISS keep it simple stupid. And oh yeah I want to be able to haul anything from a 5 axle to a 19 axle with the same truck and I want 7 MPG+ at 80000 lbs doing 70 MPH.

 

Well according to the NEW DETROIT and Freightliner your going to get your wish. They seem to think that when they build their wonderful DD motor and you have a DETROIT transmission behind it along with DETROIT axles that life will be just peachy. Those folks over at Eaton, Allison, Fuller and Rockwell haven't got a clue on how to build something so the new DETROIT Corporation is going to show them how.

Like a Mercedes? Ah ya c'mon.....

Totally sarcastic and JMO is the disqualifier.....

 

I notice you left out meritor.

 

Yeah, sorry.....probably left some others out too. I just thought the article about what they have planned was arrogant.

 

No need for sorry, I loathe meritors.

 

MORE HORIZONTAL LEG ROOM!!!!!!!!!!!!! ,like a friggin car or pickup has. Place the pedals way underneath the dash like a car instead of hangin a plumbob on the heater controls to mark the floor where the pedals go!!! For the love of Pete. (no pun intended)

 

Read the article....... if it goes their way we'll have a 10,000 lb, 50 mpg Freightliner.

ya c'mon....

 

First and foremost, companies need to do a better job of maintaining their equipment.

A well-maintained truck is only as safe as its driver. No amount of technology can make up for a driver who is tired, aggressive, impatient, inexperienced, lazy, has a "don't care" attitude, or any combination thereof. In fact, systems like VORAD, and automatic transmissions, can actually make a truck less safe, since those systems can take control of the truck away from an experienced driver.

But with that said, larger mirrors mounted even with, or forward of, the A-pillars would help. I hate the way the older body style Internationals had the mirrors mounted aft of the A-pillars, near the post that separates teh vent window from the main window - I had to turn my head way too far to see out of them. Fender mirrors are a godsend.

First and foremost: MORE LEGROOM! I'm only 5'8" tall, and even I can't stretch my legs out in most trucks. This is unacceptable when you have to remain in the seated position for several hours on end.

Double-sealed doors and windows, to help keep road noise out.

Do not combine the AM/FM and CB antenna systems, as Freigthliner has done with the Columbias. In fact, don't give us a CB antenna system at all - just give us a conduit to run our own coax (Factory coax is cheap cr@p, anyway). But do give us a secure place to mount our CBs (it seems to be an afterthought in certain models of truck). It'd also be nice to have several cigarette lighter power receptacles on top of the dash, near the windshield, so we can plug in our satellite radios and GPS units without running wires across the dash and down the front panel. It's also be nice to have a built-in refrigerator, and perhaps a small cooler that is accessible from the driver's seat.

I think every truck on the road should have a pyrometer, boost gauge, and fuel pressure gauge. Those three are an absolute must for knowing the factors that affect combustion, and they also are extremely helpful for troubleshooting. It's also nice to have an outside temperature gauge, for performance/fuel economy reasons, but even more so for safety reasons. For example, if you know the outside temp is near freezing, you tend to be more aware of the possibility of ice forming on bridges.